Thoughts are fast moving things. Leaping about in the left and right sides of our brain, we create and discard a million possibilities in a moment. Those who can birth these fleeting ideas into tangible existence are considered creative (even though we all could, only an intrepid few DO).
The video iPod is a good example of creative thinking in application. A room full of TV execs sat down to discuss the pros and cons of the new device recently. Some thought it cool, some dismissed it like the movie studios dismissed the dawn of television. What will the role of this technology be?
Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment nailed it, “You need to find all these different ways to continue to bring viewers in. It all has to feed back into our core business.”
Your core business. What is it? It’s not marketing–that’s MY business. Are you in retail? A service company? What is the thing you do well? What is it you want to be known for? That’s your core business and just as the video iPod may prove to be for television, your marketing should be for you: something that feeds business back to your core.
Any time you catch yourself spending time away from honing your core to meddle in your web site or newspaper ad or human resources, remember this: your core business needs to be nourished to grow and its best food is thought.
Take time to think.
[Originally published 27 Oct 2005]
